PESHAWAR, Sept 1: NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani has said that peace in Afghnistan is vital for development of trade, stability of democracy and overall progress of the region.

The people of Frontier and Afghanistan are linked with historical, traditional and cultural bonds and that "is why we provided shelter to millions of Afghan refugees during the Afghan war".

He was talking to a group of under-training Afghan police officials here on Tuesday at the Chief Minister's Secretariat. The government of Pakistan is providing training to them.

Mr Durrani said that the provincial government was ready to provide training to Afghan people in all fields and Afghanistan 'is our home'. He pledged to play a role in the reconstruction of Afghanistan.

He said that during the Afghan crisis, people of the NWFP and Balochistan provided shelter to millions of Afghan refugees, which badly affected the economy of the province. But, he added, friends and neighbours should be supported at the time of trials and tribulations.